Republic of China: Guandong Ginseng King

Chapter 421: Guerrilla Warfare of Dingbian Army

After Qu Shaoyang retreated to Kuandian, he sent someone to Maoershan to deliver a message, ordering the explosives workshop to speed up the production of grenades, mines and other items.

At the same time, a message was sent to Shuangdianzi, mobilizing most of the militia to rush to Kuandian to cooperate in the defense.

By mid-October, Zhao Zhengguo, Zheng Tiezhu and others led a total of 4,000 militiamen from Dianzi Street, Gudong River, Niangniangku, Maoershan and other places.

They escorted hundreds of boxes of grenades, mines, explosives, as well as medicinal materials, clothing, etc. to Kuandian and met up with Qu Shaoyang.

Zhang Xiulan and Chen Yunzhe came up with a solution and transported another batch of guns and other equipment from Fengtian.

In this way, each militia can be allocated five or six cannons and a number of guns and ammunition.

At Qu Shaoyang's suggestion, the militia held the pass in the deep mountains and cooperated with local people, hunters and others. They raised flags during the day and lit torches at night, and people appeared and moved around, using both real and fake tactics.

For a time, the Japanese army was unable to determine the true situation and was in a panic, so they did not dare to easily enter Kuandian.

Because Qu Shaoyang's patrol team and security team total more than 6,000 people, and they have already formed combat effectiveness.

Therefore, at the suggestion of Zhang Xiulan, it was reorganized into the Dingbian Army, which was divided into ten battalions.

Qu Shaoyang was the commander of the Dingbian Army, and Zhao Zhengguo, Zheng Tiezhu, Zhou Chuanyong, Wang Musen, Lin Xingye and others served as commanders and assistant commanders of each battalion.

At the same time, in order to strengthen the anti-Japanese armed forces, with the support of Zhang Xiulan, Zhang Yue, Rong Xi and others reorganized the patrol camp that retreated to Kuandian and recruited patriotic young farmers to fight against the Japanese.

Within one month, a total of 2,500 people were recruited, with Zhang Yue and Rong Xi serving as deputy commanders, and Shang Zhengde, a student from Tianjin Military Academy, was invited to be the chief instructor.

Of course, while practicing military exercises, everyone did not forget to pay attention to the war situation.

At this time, the Japanese Army's Second Corps had landed at Taohuapu and occupied Jinzhou, Dalian and other places, and the Qing army was defeated one after another.

However, the First Army paid a heavy price due to the arrogance of its commander Aritomo Yamagata.

The 10th Brigade of the 5th Division divided its troops into two groups and attacked Saimaji and Lianshan Pass, but was jointly repelled by Nie Shicheng and Yiktang'a.

The Japanese army's plan to cross the Motianling Mountains and quickly attack Liaoyang, the gateway to Fengtian, was blocked at Motianling Mountains.

"Whether on the Qing battlefield or on the Goryeo battlefield, the Japanese army's marches and attacks were very bold and swift.

They usually use quick attacks and strong attacks to quickly open a gap and break into the center of the position.

This was partly because the Japanese army was well-equipped and had strong combat capabilities, but the fundamental reason was that they were isolated and had difficulty in logistical supply, so they had to fight quickly and decisively. "

"In each attack, the Japanese army's tactics seemed flexible and varied, but in fact, the core was only one: outflanking.

Several armies will be deployed in each attack, with one part pretending to be the main force and launching a feint attack, while the real main force will appear directly at the opponent's weak link.

The next step is to quickly close the encirclement and concentrate on annihilating them."

Among all the anti-Japanese forces in Kuandian, only Qu Shaoyang led his troops to engage in direct confrontation with the Japanese army.

Therefore, Qu Shaoyang, Zhang Xiulan and others put forward his views when studying and analyzing the battle situation.

“So I think that when facing the Japanese attack, we should avoid their sharp edge and not actively engage in positional warfare with them.

Instead, we should take advantage of the terrain, carry out mobile warfare in the mountains and guerrilla warfare behind enemy lines, and persist in fighting a protracted war."

“We can lead elite soldiers and fight ambushes and guerrilla warfare.

They either intercepted their food and money, or burned down their strongholds, and harassed them in many ways.

Make them unable to take care of each other and run around exhausted, and then find a way to annihilate the enemy. "

Qu Shaoyang said this and did this.

In late October, Qu Shaoyang received news that a detachment of the Japanese Army's Fifth Division would set out from Phoenix City to invade Xiuyan.

So, Qu Shaoyang personally led two thousand elite soldiers to Huanghuadian to ambush, and suddenly launched an attack when the Japanese army passed by.

The Japanese army was attacked unexpectedly, and although they immediately organized a team to fight back, many people were still killed and injured.

However, Qu Shaoyang's troops did not engage in a tangle. After their first attack was effective, they immediately withdrew and set up an ambush during the Japanese pursuit, seriously injuring many people again.

The Dingbian Army became famous in one battle. Afterwards, Qu Shaoyang led his troops to Fengcheng, Andong, Kuandian and other places, and ambushed the Japanese army many times.

They would either intercept their food supplies, or launch sneak attacks at night or blow up their strongholds, and each time they would inflict heavy losses on the Japanese army.

The Dingbian Army was famous far and wide, and the Japanese army would grit their teeth in hatred whenever they mentioned it.

However, the Dingbian Army was elusive and its whereabouts were uncertain. The Japanese army could not find any trace of them at all and could not encircle and suppress them. They had to be on guard and be careful, which was really frustrating.

Qu Shaoyang's troops had outstanding achievements in battle. Zhang Xiulan submitted memorials to the court to commend Qu Shaoyang and others, and at the same time sent people to urge Qu Shaoyang to withdraw to Kuandian as soon as possible.

Don't keep wandering around Phoenix City. After all, there are still a large number of Japanese troops in Phoenix City.

Qu Shaoyang's recent actions are really hateful. Once the Japanese army detects the movements of the Dingbian Army and sends troops to encircle and suppress them, there is a fear that the Dingbian Army will make mistakes.

Running around and killing enemies in the middle of winter was indeed exhausting, so after receiving the message, Qu Shaoyang led his troops to retreat.

When the group was passing by Huangjiagou, a spy came to report that a group of Japanese troops were heading towards Huangjiagou twenty miles to the north.

Upon hearing this, Qu Shaoyang immediately ordered his men to investigate further. At the same time, he ordered all the soldiers to ambush on both sides of the valley and wait for orders at any time.

After a long while, the spy came back and reported that the Japanese army was large in number, but looked a little embarrassed.

Many of them were injured and their clothes were thin, as if they had been evacuated from somewhere.

Qu Shaoyang suddenly remembered that he had heard a few days ago that Nie Shicheng's troops and Yiktang'a's troops had joined forces to recapture Lianshan Pass and Caohekou, and defeated the Japanese army at Jinjiahe.

If this is the case, it is very likely that this group of Japanese troops withdrew from the direction of Motianling and wanted to return to Phoenix City.

“Well, now that we’ve met them, let’s give them some extra spice.

Pass the order down, lie in ambush on the spot, wait for the right time, and let these little Japanese have a taste of our grenades and bullets."

After judgment, Qu Shaoyang immediately decided to ambush the Japanese army in Huangjiagou.

"Remember, don't linger in a fight. Hit them once and then retreat immediately to avoid being entangled for too long."

In the freezing cold weather, the Dingbian Army lay in ambush in the snow, waiting for the best opportunity.

The snow was still falling, falling on everyone and gradually freezing into ice. The north wind was howling past, and everyone's bodies were soon frozen and their hands and feet were stiff in the heavy snow.

But no one moved or made a sound. They just lay there and waited quietly for the enemy to enter Huangjiagou.

Sure enough, after a while, a group of people entered from the north side of the ditch, and judging by their clothes, they were indeed the Japanese.

However, these people obviously did not have the same enthusiasm they had when they attacked Hushan. They were probably in a very bad state because of the defeat and the cold weather.

There were quite a lot of people in this team. Seeing this, Qu Shaoyang did not give orders in a hurry, but waited quietly.

After most of the Japanese troops entered the ambush range, Qu Shaoyang jumped out of the snow and shot at the Japanese troops in the valley.

As soon as Qu Shaoyang heard the gunshots, the Dingbian troops ambushed on both sides of the valley quickly launched an attack.

The sound of gunfire and grenade explosions echoed through the valley. Bullets of revenge whizzed into the bodies of the Japanese soldiers.

The Japanese troops in the valley were the 10th Brigade that withdrew from Motianling.

These people had suffered successive defeats in Lianshan Pass and other places, and were chased and attacked by Nie Shicheng and Yiktang'a's troops, and were already exhausted.

The Japanese army retreated all the way back, and they were always worried that Nie Shicheng would lead his troops to pursue them, which made them even more embarrassed. They thought that they were not too far from Phoenix City and should be safe, but unexpectedly, they encountered an ambush by the Qing army again.

The Japanese army was already like a frightened bird, so after the battle broke out, they did not react for a while and were unable to organize an effective counterattack.

Many Japanese soldiers were shot and fell to the ground.

However, the Japanese army is a regular army that has undergone rigorous training, so they still have some reaction ability.

They took cover from the rocks and trees in the valley while firing at the hillsides on both sides.

Before the battle began, Qu Shaoyang said that they would not fight to the end and would retreat immediately after the attack was effective.

So by the time the Japanese troops in the valley reacted and prepared to reorganize their forces for a counterattack, the Dingbian Army had already evacuated their positions and left quickly.

The Japanese army was afraid that there might be an ambush ahead, so they dared not pursue and just watched the Dingbian Army leave calmly.

The battle did not last long, only three quarters of an hour at most, and more than seventy Japanese soldiers were killed, more than two hundred were seriously injured, and countless others were slightly injured.

Mainly grenades, this thing is so easy to use. The explosive fragments attack indiscriminately and can destroy a large area with one explosion.

The Japanese general sent people to investigate, and after confirming that there were no ambushes around, he realized that he had fallen into a trap.

However, it was too late to pursue the enemy, and he had no choice but to lead his troops back to Phoenix City in embarrassment.

At the Phoenix City Command Center, the First Army Commander Aritomo Yamagata finally understood one thing: the Qing army was not as weak as he thought.

In the battle with the Japanese army, the Qing army grew rapidly and learned how to fight.

It seems that the plan of crossing Motianling and heading straight to Fengtian is not feasible. They can only change the route and go through Haicheng and head to Fengtian.

However, if they change their route to Haicheng, they cannot abandon Fenghuang City. They must leave a troop behind to guard against counterattacks by Nie Shicheng and the Dingbian Army.

Therefore, Aritomo Yamagata made a risky decision and ordered the 5th Division to stay in Phoenix City and recuperate temporarily.

The Third Division, with more than 6,000 troops, advanced deep into the enemy's territory alone, made a long-distance attack on Haicheng, and opened up a passage from Fenghuang City through Haicheng into Liaoyang.

At this time, Qu Shaoyang had already returned to Kuandian City with the Dingbian Army.

The main reason was that no one expected the Japanese army to dare to attack in such a snowy and icy environment.

Otherwise, Qu Shaoyang would definitely have dealt with the Japanese twice more along the way.

Zhang Xiulan and others were delighted after meeting Qu Shaoyang and repeatedly praised his bravery and resourcefulness.

"Shaoyang, you've been really busy lately, so you should rest in the city for now and recuperate.

I have already reported the achievements of the Dingbian Army to the imperial court, and I believe there will be rewards in the near future."

Zhang Xiulan liked Qu Shaoyang very much, treating him like his own nephew. He patted Qu Shaoyang on the shoulder and said with a smile on his face.

"Thank you, sir. Fighting for the country is hard work, Shaoyang dare not say." Qu Shaoyang bowed and said modestly.

"As long as we can kill all the Japanese pirates and recover the lost territory, the Dingbian Army will sacrifice their lives and shed their blood, and will not hesitate to brave mountains of swords and seas of fire."

"Okay, okay, okay, I like your enthusiasm.

Without further ado, go and have a rest. I will host a banquet in the evening to reward you all." Zhang Xiluan said happily.

That evening, Zhang Xiulan indeed held a banquet to celebrate the success of Qu Shaoyang and others.

Zhang Yue, Rong Xi, Chen Yunzhe, Chen Yunhan and others all rushed over from the joint defense areas to celebrate together.

Qu Shaoyang hadn't seen his two uncles for some time. It was a rare opportunity for them to get together, so naturally they had a lot to talk about.

"Brother, is there any news from Maoer Mountain recently?" Qu Shaoyang asked Chen Yunzhe and the others while others were toasting.

"A few days ago, my father and Xiuyun sent someone to deliver a batch of medicinal herbs and a lot of winter clothes.

The visitor said that everything was fine at home, but many Korean people had taken advantage of the chaos recently to run to our side.

You should have transferred all the patrol teams away. The defense along the river was weak, giving them the opportunity to escape."

Chen Yunzhe sighed and told Qu Shaoyang what he knew.

Qu Shaoyang was not too surprised by this. In the past, the patrol team had been closely guarding the area, so the Korean people on the other side of the river could not get over.

Now that he has withdrawn most of the defensive forces, we are sure we won’t be able to defend.

"Oh, I don't know what my home is like now. When I go back, I'm afraid the children won't recognize me." Qu Shaoyang sighed.

Chen Yunzhe and Chen Yunhan also sighed when they heard this.

Who doesn’t miss their family? Especially Chen Yunhan, who hasn’t seen his wife and daughter for almost half a year and misses them even in his dreams.

"Oh, I don't know where Shao Yang and the eldest and second brothers are now?

It’s snowing so hard, I wonder if they have enough clothes to wear, or if they have a hot meal to eat.”

On the Maoer Mountain side, since Qu Shaoyang left, Doctor Chen and his wife have been living in Qu's house.

During dinner, Li looked at the steaming food on the table and couldn't help muttering.

"Yeah, I don't know if Shaoyang's injury has healed?

This brat has been stupid since he was young. Now he has a family and several children, but his temper has not changed.

Once this pole is put out, there's no telling when it will be able to come back.

God bless the children and keep them safe and don’t let anything go wrong.” Chen also followed suit.

"Mom, didn't the people we sent to Kuandian tell us two days ago? My brother and Shaoyang are doing well over there."

After hearing this, Chen Xiuyun also sighed. She had not been eating or sleeping well these days and was worried about her husband and brothers, fearing that something might happen to them.

In fact, Chen Xiuyun knew in her heart that things were definitely not peaceful in Kuandian right now, but her brothers were afraid that their family would worry, so they only reported good news and not bad news.

Of course, Chen Xiuyun couldn't say this, and she had to comfort her parents and in-laws.

Chen Xiuyun and Meng Lanxin looked at each other and sighed.

Meng Lanxin regretted even more that she should have followed Qu Shaoyang when he left.

As everyone was talking, they suddenly heard a burst of urgent gong sounds outside.

"No, there seems to be something happening outside." Meng Lanxin immediately put down her chopsticks and walked out when she heard it.

Before Meng Lanxin walked out of the door, she heard hurried footsteps outside, followed by the sound of the Xing family.

"Madam, Madam, there are many people outside the enclosure, no less than six or seven hundred, all riding horses and holding guns, and they look like bearded men."

As soon as these words were spoken, everyone in the room changed their expressions.

"Big sister, I'll go check on the front. You stay home and comfort the elders and children."

Meng Lanxin pushed the door open and walked quickly towards the main entrance of the enclosure.

(End of this chapter)